Seven of 19 people injured in a deliberate petrol explosion in a Darwin shopping centre remain in hospital with one doctor describing it as a mini-Bali bombing on "our doorstep".
Five of the victims were still in the high dependency unit of Royal Darwin Hospital with burns to up to 15 per cent of their upper limbs, one victim is in coronary care and another is in the general wards.
Fifteen people were admitted to hospital after a dissatisfied customer pushed a shopping trolley full of fuel and fireworks into the TIO Insurance and Banking office in the Woolworths shopping centre in Darwin's CBD about 11am (CST) on Wednesday.
Property being searched
Four more were treated at the hospital after coming in during the night suffering from smoke inhalation, National Critical Care and Trauma Response Centre executive director Dr Len Notaras said.
A 44-year-old man gave himself up to police after the explosion and on Thursday police were carrying out a search warrant on a Marrakai property in Darwin.
Dr Notaras said the hospital's trauma response centre had dealt with numerous emergency situations over the years, including the 2002 Bali bombing, the 2009 Mumbai terror attacks and the 2009 Ashmore Reef refugee boat explosion.
He said while this was an explosion on a smaller scale to the 2002 Bali bombing, it had happened in Darwin had "brought the horror to our doorstep".
Small community shaken
Dr Notaras said some of the nurses knew the victims.
"We are very familiar with these situations internationally," he said.
"But this is one of those situations where it is on our doorstep and were people from a small community who we are closely associated with.
"It's an event that reminds us of how vigilant we must be in normal circumstances, no matter where we are."
Major Crime Commander Colleen Gwynne on Wednesday said the man who handed himself in the police was know to police.
"There has been some history between the person that we have in custody and TIO," Ms Gwynne said.
Attacker 'dissatisfied claimant'
"He is a dissatisfied claimant and there has been involvement with police just recently."
She said the nature of the complaint was not yet known but that security had been increased at the branch.
A team of 50 emergency service personnel would investigate the incident further before any charges were laid, she said.
The Woolworths shopping complex where the explosion occurred has reopened.
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